Teachers’ award near settlement?

Press, 3 June 1989, Page 9

Teachers’ award near settlement?

By JENNY LONG The secondary school teachers’ longrunning award talks might soon be settled, according to the State Services Commission. A spokesman said he was hopeful that the award could be settled when talks resumed in about a week. Talks cannot be held in the coming week because the commission itself is being restructured, and time has been set aside for interviews next week. The P.P.T.A. president, Ms Ruth Chapman, said the association wanted to keep talking, but was unhappy that talks had stalled yesteday over the issue of teacher competence.

“The issue is simple: Will there be national standards? And if there are, will boards of trustees be able to vary those national standards and, in effect, create local standards?”

After 32 days of talks, the issue of national standards still needed to be resolved, she said.

A commission spokesman, Mr Gerald Minnee, said the S.S.C., the Government and teachers all accepted the need for national standards. The issue was whether they should be negotiated in the award. “We would accept that the award could cover the procedures for disciplining and

appraising staff. But the award should not be used for setting the standards.” Mr Minnee said it was up to the Government on behalf of the community to decide on the standards.

A spokesman for the Minister of Education, Mr Lange, said that the Minister had clearly stated the need for national standards.

“Rather than being in the awards, they could be contained in a separate form, between the P.P.T.A., other teacher organisations, and the Government. (The Minister) does not see that they need to be part of the award talks,” he said.